Little Ray of Sunshine

New York

"Well done" Valentina praised while giving her the money. "Such a clean job" the woman commented. "So sad you don't want to keep doing this" the Contessa looked at her.

"I told you it was the last one" she pointed out, trying to avoid the next part of the conversation.

"Yeah, I know. Now you're going to work for that Bishop girl" the woman sighed. "Maybe from time to time..."

"No" she interrupted. "I did that last job and now you have to keep your word" she demanded.

"Your niece will be safe" Valentina assured her. "I will keep them away" the woman said, to which she nodded slightly before turning to look at her.

"You better do, because if something happens to her and I find out you're behind it" she paused. "You will be the last job" she threatened her, her accent a lot thicker than it normally was.

The woman just nodded, not looking afraid because of the threat. So she finally left, ready to finally reunite with her niece.

-/-

A month later she had managed to get an apartment in New York City and she had finally made the decision of being her niece's guardian, even if she did not have any idea about what she was doing.

She waited until everything was ready before picking up the child from Clint's, who, after his initial surprise, had helped through all the process, listening and answering to any of her questions regarding the little girl. The truth was that she wanted it to be perfect. She wanted that child to feel at home with her.

She looked at the chair next to her, being curious about what her niece might be doing since the little girl was awfully silent. But she felt herself panicking when she did not see the kid there.

"Lena?" she looked around. "Yelena!" she called, trying really hard to keep herself calm.

She received no answer, her niece was nowhere to be found and she soon found herself feeling afraid that someone had managed to snatch the kid away from her. Had the Red Room managed to get the child?

She could not think clearly. She gasped for air as she searched everywhere, only calming down when she spotted a woman talking to the five year old girl, who looked somewhat scared.

"Lena, sweet girl" she called her, feeling relieved, her niece turning her head to look at her.

"Is that your mama?" the woman pointed to her, unsure about letting the kid leave with her.

She frowned, not really appreciating the fact that the woman seemed not to trust her with the little girl. But she just sighed, put on her best fake smile and approached them.

"I'm her aunt" she corrected, grabbing the kid's hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry" the woman apologized. "She said she wanted to see her mama"

She looked at whatever her niece had seen inside that shop. The little girl was really caught up by an Avengers' children book about the New York fight, Natasha was on the front page.

"It's mama" the kid pointed at it as she could not avoid a sad smile. "She's a hero" her niece stared back at her, being so excited about it.

"I know, sweet girl" she whispered, gently caressing the kid's hair.

"Your mama was Natasha Romanoff?" the woman asked, seeing how her niece nodded. "I'm so sorry for your loss" the shop worker gave them an apologetic smile.

She shook her head. She was unsure about how she should answer in those situations. But she knew that she did not need pity from the people that did not know her sister truly, that all they knew was the superhero image of the Avengers.